ST. LOUIS, Nov. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Health Net Federal Services, LLC (HNFS) was notified by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that the protests challenging the Department of Defense's (DoD) award of contracts for the East and West T2017 regions are being denied. The GAO's decision sustains Health Net Federal Services'West Region award. We expect the start of health care delivery for this new contract to begin in the second half of 2017.

"Since 1988, Health Net Federal Services has been proud to partner with the Department of Defense, supplementing the care they provide to active duty and retired military personnel and their families," said Billy Maynard, President and CEO of Health Net Federal Services. He added, "We are honored and humbled to be awarded the TRICARE West Region Contract to serve this extraordinary population of beneficiaries, as well as supplement and extend the healthcare mission of the Defense Health Agency."

About Centene CorporationCentene Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a diversified, multi-national healthcare enterprise that provides a portfolio of services to government sponsored healthcare programs, focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals. Many receive benefits provided under Medicaid, including the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), as well as Aged, Blind or Disabled (ABD), Foster Care and Long Term Care (LTC), in addition to other state-sponsored programs, Medicare (including the Medicare prescription drug benefit commonly known as "Part D"), as well as programs with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Centene operates local health plans and offers a range of health insurance solutions. It also contracts with other healthcare and commercial organizations to provide specialty services including behavioral health management, care management software, correctional healthcare services, dental benefits management, in-home health services, life and health management, managed vision, pharmacy benefits management, specialty pharmacy and telehealth services.

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About Health Net Federal ServicesHealth Net Federal Services has a long history of providing cost-effective, quality managed health care programs for government agencies, including the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. As the managed care support contractor for the TRICARE North Region, HNFS provides health care services to approximately 2.9 million uniformed services beneficiaries, active and retired, and their families. In addition, HNFS provides quality behavioral health services for active duty service members, veterans and their families. Visit www.hnfs.com for more information.